Justin,
I don't think your gun shares the internals with the 'wristbreakers' that I have known, eg. Joe from Charlotte's gun. These guns are very stiff to close as you are tensioning the main spring while doing so. They also are self openers as the only thing that is keeping the springs tensioned are the barrel flats pushing down on the rocking 'spring tensioners' pivoting in the bar of the action.
One result of this feature is that you can not fire off the locks without the barrels fitted and closed.
As I remember, the main spring acts as a cocking lever by being pressed rearwards by the forend iron as the gun is opened but I may be mistaken.